January 14 and 15 marked the middle of the 2022/23 English Premier League (EPL) season. It has been a season of firsts (the winter World Cup and subsequent schedule change), as well as the usual amount of surprises and epic encounters.
So, where are we now, and where are things headed?
Premier League Season Overview
Most teams have played 19 games as of January 15, 2023, but as always, some teams have games in hand. Still, it’s a good time for a review.
Let’s start with the top three teams (bear in mind that these are subject to change):
1st Place – Arsenal
Few bettors expected Arsenal to be topping the table at this stage, and yet they are. It’s all down to the brilliance of players like Saka and Odengaard, but they have worked well together on the whole.
Even if you focus on the subs, fringe players, and upcoming stars (such as Nketiah and Vieira) there is a lot of talent there.
Is it enough to hold on and win? Well, there will be many great challenges ahead. Only time will tell whether they have what it takes.
2nd Place – Manchester City
Man City has scored the most goals of any team this season. They are one of only two teams with more than 40. At their best, they are unstoppable, and with talents like Haaland, Foden, Alvarez, Mahrez, and De Bruyne, it’s easy to see where those goals are coming from.
But Man City is also leaky and struggles to finish off games. City recently lost at home to Brentford following a goal deep into injury time and then went from a 1-0 lead to a 2-1 loss in the last 12 minutes against Man Utd.
Still, if any team can hit a league-winning run of form, Man City can.
3rd Place – Newcastle & Manchester United
Newcastle lost the third spot recently, regaining it with a late win against Fulham. The Toon Army now shares third place with the Red Devils.
It’s going to be a challenge for them to hold on. The current Man Utd team is a far cry from the one that chased down a 10-point lead in the mid-90s to beat Newcastle to the title, but with Rashford firing on all cylinders and the midfield finally clicking, it’s still going to be tough for Newcastle.
League Predictions
The final matchday of the current EPL season is scheduled for May 28th, so there are over 4 months of action remaining and lots of points at stake.
The league table will probably look very different between now and then. How different? Well, here are our key predictions for some of this season’s biggest talking points:
Who will win the league?
You’d think that Arsenal would be the favorite to win the league, considering the team from north London has been the most consistent and has a comfortable lead. But that’s not the case. Even after Man City lost 1-2 to their cross-city rivals, they were still the market leaders.
Does that mean that Man City will come good and win the title? We think so.
There’s no doubt that Arsenal looks good right now, but City has the resources, the depth, and the unstoppable power of Haaland.
Will Newcastle finish in the top 3?
Although some have pinned Newcastle’s current run on their recent influx of cash, the Toon Army spent much less than many of the teams around them, as well as several teams near the bottom of the table (Wolves, West Ham, Nottingham Forest). Yes, the Magpies spent, but they spent smartly, propelling them into the top 4.
Will they stay there? Maybe not, as there are some injury issues and a lack of depth, but they should have more than enough for at least a top-6 finish.
Will Fulham and Brighton hold on?
Fulham has recorded some incredible wins this season and has some fantastic players. Every point has been a battle, and this is a team prepared to go to war to win. However, we don’t predict Fulham to be in the top 6 by the end of the season.
There are far too many great teams around them, and they are just a few points from slipping into the bottom half.
We’re expecting a different outcome for Brighton, though. They thrashed Liverpool 3-0 and Everton 4-1 in January, and we wouldn’t be surprised if they’ll finish in the top 8 and could squeeze into the top 6.
Is Chelsea doomed to finish out of the European placers?
Chelsea has struggled this season, but they have already spent big this month to fill some of those problem areas. They are out of the title race but will likely mount a late challenge to finish in a much more respectable position.
What will happen to Liverpool?
Liverpool is in a similar position to Chelsea—struggling and underperforming. But Nunez has been showing promising signs as a playmaker (albeit not a finisher). They do have Gakpo now and a transfer window to bring in new players and jolt underperformers into action.
Current Top Goalscorers
Usually, at this point of the season, any of the top 5 goalscorers has a realistic chance of finishing as the EPL top scorer. But that was before Erling Haaland came along.
Even before Man City played its 18th game (against Man Utd on Jan 14), he had recorded 21 goals, leaving Kane, Toney, Mitrovic, and Rodrigo in his wake. He didn’t score against Man Utd, but it’s still hard to see anyone passing him.
The real question is whether or not he can record the highest-ever single-season tally. For that, he would need to beat 34 goals, a record set by both Andy Cole (for Newcastle in 1993/94) and Alan Shearer (for Blackburn in 1994/95).
What do we think? Almost certainly: yes. If he stays fit, he should hit at least 35 and could even break 40.
Premier League at GemBet
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